Politics | KSAThttp://www.ksat.comTrump taps Andrew Puzder, CEO of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., as Labor secretaryPuzder opposes $15 minimum wagehttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-taps-ceo-of-hardees-and-carls-jr-as-labor-secretary_<p>President-elect Donald Trump has picked Andrew Puzder, the head of the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's fast food restaurants, as his nominee for Labor secretary.</p><p>Puzder, 66, is a vocal critic of government regulation and opposes a $15 minimum wage, broader overtime pay and the Affordable Care Act.</p><p>Trump, in a statement, credited him with an "extensive record fighting for workers."</p><p>The Labor Department oversees America's job market, regulates the workplace, and produces statistics like the unemployment rate that underpin economic policy.</p><p>Puzder has been the CEO of CKE Restaurants since 2000. He's credited with turning around the Hardee's brand, but his company has been accused of labor violations and fielded complaints about sexist commercials.</p><p>His appointment, which would require Senate confirmation, comes at a time when restaurants and other low-wage industries are feeling pressure to increase pay. Puzder would likely resist those pressures as Labor secretary.</p><p>The fast food industry in particular has been the target of nationwide protests pushing for a $15 minimum wage, up from the current $7.25.</p><p>In a Wall Street Journal op-ed in March, Puzder said a $15 minimum wage, mandatory paid sick leave laws and the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, raise costs for employers and force them to rely more on automated technology.</p><p>"While the technology is becoming much cheaper, government mandates have been making labor much more expensive," he wrote.</p><p>Puzder told the Los Angeles Times in March that he's not opposed to raising the federal minimum wage above $7.25 or pegging it to inflation, though he said a jump to $15 an hour will cost workers their jobs.</p><p>Puzder has also been one of the harshest critics of an Obama administration rule that would require workers who make less than $47,500 and work 40 hours per week be paid overtime. The rule was put on hold by a federal judge in November.</p><p> <strong>CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE TRUMPS OTHER PICKS FOR CABINET SEATS THUS FAR. </strong> </p><p> </p><p>"The real world is far different than the Labor Department's Excel spreadsheet," Puzder wrote in a Forbes guest column in May. "This new rule will simply add to the extensive regulatory maze the Obama Administration has imposed on employers, forcing many to offset increased labor expense by cutting costs elsewhere."</p><p>In 2004, CKE agreed to pay $9 million to settle three class-action lawsuits involving overtime pay. Puzder told the Orange County Register in 2014 that CKE had spent $20 million on overtime lawsuits in California over the previous eight years, and that the company had reclassified managers as hourly workers as a result.</p><p>Under Puzder, Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have come under fire for notoriously lewd commercials targeting young men.</p><p>A racy ad featuring a bikini-clad Paris Hilton washing a car while eating a Carl's Jr. burger debuted in 2005. Since then, the brand has doubled down on using supermodels to sell hamburgers. A 2015 Super Bowl commercial featuring a seemingly nude Charlotte McKinney was widely panned.</p><p>"I don't think there's anything wrong with a beautiful woman in a bikini, eating a burger and washing a Bentley or a pickup truck or being in a hot tub," Puzder told CNNMoney in 2015. "I think there's probably nothing more American."</p><p>If confirmed by the Senate, Puzder will take over for Tom Perez, who was nominated by President Obama in 2013.</p><p>Perez issued a rule that extended minimum wage and overtime protections to home health care workers, and he pushed for a rule requiring lawyers to disclose the work they do for employers on union negotiations. That rule has also been blocked by a federal judge.</p><p>The Labor Department offers job training programs to workers who lose their jobs because of global trade. It can also fine companies for breaking labor laws, such as the minimum wage.</p><p>The Labor Department is one of the economy's principal record-keepers through its oversight of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.</p><p>During his presidential campaign, Trump sought to discredit BLS numbers. He has claimed, falsely, that the published unemployment rate is a "joke" and a "hoax."</p><p>In a speech after he won the New Hampshire primary in February, Trump speculated that the unemployment rate was "probably 28, 29, as high as 35. In fact, I even heard recently 42%." The unemployment rate was 4.9% at the time and has since fallen to 4.6%.</p><p>The BLS also publishes the monthly jobs report and an an array of data on wages, jobs and industries.</p><p>--CNN's Sara Murray and CNNMoney's Danielle Wiener-Bronner and Patrick Gillespie contributed to this report.</p>493747079Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:28:16 GMTNewsMoneyNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppFri, 09 Dec 2016 18:28:17 GMTTrump mobilizing Louisiana Republicans in final senate racePresident-elect to rally supporters ahead of state's Senate runoff electionhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-mobilizing-louisiana-republicans-in-final-senate-race<p>Tending to party politics, President-elect Donald Trump is rallying supporters in Louisiana on Friday ahead of the state's Senate runoff election, aiming to pad the Republican majority he will inherit.</p><p>Trump was campaigning for Republican John Kennedy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then making another stop on his "thank you" tour in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a state that helped him prevail against Democrat Hillary Clinton in last month's election.</p><p>On Thursday Trump met in Columbus, Ohio, with the victims of an attack by a knife-wielding Ohio State University student. By evening he was at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, alongside Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, his pick to be the next ambassador to China.</p><p>"The script is not yet written. We do not know what the page will read tomorrow. But for the first time in a long time we know the pages will be authored by each and every one of you," Trump said at Des Moines' Hy-Vee Hall, where he offered promises to heal a divided nation along with trademark boasts about the size of his victories.</p><p>While candidate Trump was often at odds with the establishment wing of his party, the incoming president has reason to consolidate any lingering factions within the party, most immediately in Louisiana.</p><p>Kennedy, the state treasurer, faces off Saturday against Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat, for the seat of retiring Republican Sen. David Vitter. Neither won a majority in the November primary, leading to the runoff. Polls have shown Kennedy with a comfortable lead.</p><p>Republicans will have a narrow 52-48 Senate majority next year if they maintain the Louisiana seat. Trump has backed Kennedy and Vice President-elect Mike Pence campaigned for him last week in New Orleans, saying a Kennedy win would "put an exclamation point at the end of a great American victory in 2016."</p><p>Yet even as he professes unity, Trump's Cabinet announcements have drawn harsh criticism from Democrats.</p><p>Trump's selection Wednesday of fast-food executive Andrew Puzder to lead the Labor Department was panned by workers' rights organizations and labor unions. Puzder, who heads CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent of Carl's Jr., Hardee's and other chains, brings yet another wealthy business person and elite donor into his administration-in-the-making.</p><p>Trump said in a statement that as labor secretary, Puzder will "save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations that are stunting job growth and suppressing wages." He later defended his decision to stack his Cabinet with the extremely wealthy, saying in Des Moines: "I want people who have made a fortune! Now they're negotiating for you!"</p><p>But the choice could lead to a confirmation fight.</p><p>"American families need a Labor Department that stands up for workers' wages, retirement security and safety, not one focused on reducing their pay. Andy Puzder has a long record of fighting against the wages of working families," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.</p><p>Trump has selected retired Marine Gen. John Kelly to head the Department of Homeland Security, according to people close to the transition; he officially picked Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a climate-change denier whose policies have helped fossil fuel companies, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency; and he named the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, Linda McMahon, to head the Small Business Administration.</p><p>Pruitt, whose selection demoralized some environmentalists and Democrats, came not long after Trump met with former Vice President Al Gore, a leading environmental activist, and said he had "an open mind" about honoring the Paris climate accords.</p><p>Trump, in Iowa, vowed to that he would "end the EPA intrusion into your lives," prompting cheers from the crowd.</p><p>Major decisions remain on the horizon for Trump.</p><p>He is still considering his choice for secretary of state, and has said he intends to name his choice for the key Cabinet post next week.</p><p>Trump is also determining the future of his business empire, which he has said he will leave although he could shift control to his adult children. Business-ethics specialists have said that type of arrangement could carry enormous conflicts of interest.</p><p>Trump has not yet provided any details on how his business interests will function while he's in the White House but said legal documents are being prepared ahead of an announcement next week.</p><p>It was also revealed Thursday that even after Trump moves into the Oval Office, he will retain an executive producer credit on the reality show "Celebrity Apprentice." The news, which was first reported by Variety, raised questions about a conflict of interest since Trump will have an interest in a show broadcast on NBC while he is being covered by the network's news division.</p><p>The show will now be hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Requests for comment were not returned by Trump's spokeswoman.</p>493688032Fri, 09 Dec 2016 09:32:56 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppFri, 09 Dec 2016 09:32:56 GMTCity Council members issue statements on TNC voteCouncil approved extending rideshare agreement for one yearhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/city-council-members-issue-statements-on-tnc-vote<p>The San Antonio City Council on Thursday approved a new agreement that allows rideshare companies to continue operating in San Antonio.</p><p>Following are statements released from councilmembers regarding their vote.</p><p> <strong>District 1 Councilman Robert Trevino</strong> </p><p>"From Day One, I have been committed to working towards a solution which would provide more transportation options for consumers and improve public safety by decreasing the volume of drunken driving incidents. The passage of annual operating agreements with transportation network companies today accomplishes both goals.<br />
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Developing this ordinance was truly a collaborative process between all parties. For more than a year, I sat at the table with various stakeholders to develop a pilot program which tested the feasibility of transportation network company operations in San Antonio. The pilot program demonstrated that transportation network companies have a place in San Antonio as evidenced by the over 80% of passengers who rated their experience with transportation network companies as outstanding, very good, or good.<br />
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I look forward to continuing the discussion regarding transportation options. I am optimistic that the incentives that the City has put forth will encourage transportation network company drivers to opt-in for background checks going forward."</p><p> <strong>District 3 Counciwoman Rebecca Viagran</strong> </p><p>"Since my first day on City Council, my number one priority has been keeping San Antonio safe. It's clear that TNCs are going to be part of our transportation landscape now and in the future. This operating agreement is our best opportunity to keep drunk drivers of the road and incentivizing drivers to get a voluntary 10-point fingerprint background check. </p><p>This agreement is not perfect. We need to better understand who TNC drivers are so we can get them off the road if they get a DUI or break the law. We need to know how much TNCs are helping - or hurting - traffic congestion and air quality. And we need a clear idea of who uses TNCs so we can better address the mobility needs of those who don't or can't use them. But it's clear to me that the known benefits outweigh the unknown drawbacks. I look forward to making progress and working collaboratively towards the safest solution possible."</p><p> <strong>District 4 Councilman Rey Salda&ntilde;a</strong> </p><p>"I fully support the idea of giving individuals a fair opportunity to seek and secure employment without having to worry about whether an arrest record or past conviction will be the reason a potential employer does not fully consider their job qualifications. "Many prospective job applicants who may meet the job qualifications are often times deterred by the presence of questions regarding arrest records or prior convictions. I believe this initiative not only helps individuals with records, but also their families, friends and neighbors who are also deeply affected."</p><p> <strong>District 9 Councilman Joe Krier</strong> </p><p>"Throughout this long debate over how to regulate rideshare companies in San Antonio, the safety of passengers has been my Number One concern. Indeed, every City Council member cares deeply about public safety. I voted today for this compromise because I believe the incentive program it includes will result in many more rideshare drivers agreeing to submit to full sets of fingerprints. That, in turn, will give customers real choices about whom they'll accept as their ride home.<br />
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Public safety also includes efforts to stop people from drinking and driving. I believe statistics clearly show transportation-network companies (TNC) help keep drunk drivers off our streets. That's also why I voted for the TNC ordinance this morning."</p>493626750Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:07:59 GMTNewsLocalPoliticsFri, 09 Dec 2016 00:07:59 GMTDavid IbanezObama and Trump hurled insults, now trade pleasantriesPresident-elect Trump: 'I really like him'http://www.ksat.com/news/politics/obama-and-trump-hurled-insults-now-trade-pleasantries<p>Did anyone see it coming, the apparent new rapport between President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump?</p><p>Just a few months ago they were regularly flinging insults back and forth. Today they're trading phone calls and pleasantries.</p><p>Apparently, membership in one of the world's most exclusive clubs, the club of U.S. presidents, has a way of changing things.</p><p>On Wednesday, Trump talked about letting bygones be bygones.</p><p>"I've now gotten to know President Obama. I really like him," he said on NBC's "Today" after Time magazine announced him as its Person of the Year. "We have, I think I can say, at least for myself, I can't speak for him, but we have a really good chemistry together. We talk."</p><p>Trump continued: "He loves the country. He wants to do right by the country and for the country, and I will tell you, we obviously very much disagree on certain policies and certain things but, you know, I really like him as a president."</p><p>Obama hasn't been quite as effusive in his comments about Trump since the Nov. 8 election. But he has repeatedly urged the public and world leaders concerned about a Trump presidency to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach. His argument is that campaigning is different than governing, and that the reality of holding office will lead Trump to alter his thinking in some cases.</p><p>"That's just the way this office works," Obama said.</p><p>It's unclear how genuine a friendship may develop between two men who have little in common beyond the presidency, or whether it's just Obama exercising a little presidential decorum, leaving the past behind and showing his commitment to a smooth hand-off to the next administration.</p><p>It's not the tone many expected just a few months ago. Obama spent much of the campaign almost gleefully denouncing the showy New York businessman as "temperamentally unfit" and "uniquely unqualified" to lead the world's most powerful nation.</p><p>Trump wasn't shy about responding, tweeting at one point that Obama "will go down as perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States!" Trump also spent years fomenting the "birther" issue and trying to undermine Obama with false claims that he was not a U.S. citizen, and therefore an illegitimate president.</p><p>For that, Obama publicly humiliated Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2011, ridiculing his turn as host of a reality TV show and spreader of the birther theories.</p><p>White House press secretary Josh Earnest has acknowledged that Obama and Trump have had "at least a handful" of telephone conversations since their 90-minute Oval Office meeting on Nov. 10. But Earnest has declined to say what they talk about or characterize the relationship between them. He did say Trump initiated at least one of the calls.</p><p>Trump had said at the White House that he would likely be calling on Obama for his "counsel." Turns out it wasn't just bluster.</p><p>Paul Light, a New York University professor who studies government, says Obama could simply show Trump two photos, one each from Obama's first and final State of the Union addresses, to illustrate the "aging process" that is the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week presidency.</p><p>"What Obama can do for him is kind of help bring him up to date or help him understand what he's gotten himself into," Light said of Trump, who is 70. "Trump may be up to the task, but he doesn't know what the task is."</p><p>Ross Baker, a Rutgers University politics professor, said Trump may be sending a "message of reassurance that he is aware of his own limitations" by publicizing his outreach to Obama.</p><p>"There's no kind of handbook on how to be president," Baker said.</p>493474750Thu, 08 Dec 2016 09:42:06 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppThu, 08 Dec 2016 09:42:06 GMTMayor's race heating up with 2 more potential candidatesRon Nirenberg, Manuel Medina possible additions to racehttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/mayors-race-heating-up-with-2-more-potential-candidates<p>While standing on the front steps of City Hall Wednesday, Mayor Ivy Taylor got a big endorsement from her Bexar County counterpart, Judge Nelson Wolff.</p><p>"I really would like to continue the partnership and am glad he recognizes that as well," Taylor said.</p><p>While Taylor is shoring up support, potential challengers are getting ready themselves. A source said District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg plans to enter the race, and Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina is now poised to jump in, too.</p><p>"I think we need a new mayor and a new direction here in San Antonio," Medina said. "I am almost certain to run, but I am still doing my homework, still listening to voters, and by the end of this month I'll make my decision."</p><p>By then, it could be a three-way contest. Nirenberg has scheduled an announcement about his plans for Saturday morning. In the meantime, he's keeping quiet.</p><p>"I know there's been a lot of speculation about the future of the city and what my role will be in it moving forward, and so we're hoping to put all that speculation to rest. So come out on Saturday," Nirenberg told reporters at a town hall meeting Monday.</p><p>Though challengers are on the horizon, Taylor said Wednesday she feels her chances are "very strong."</p><p>"I'll be communicating to voters about my record of achievements and accomplishment and the leadership I've provided, and I'm confident in the voters' analysis of that," Taylor said.</p><p>None of the three are official candidates, though. They can announce their campaign whenever they want, but they'll need to wait until the filing period between Jan. 18 and Feb. 17 to officially enter the race.</p><p>The municipal general and bond election will take place May 6.</p>493411631Thu, 08 Dec 2016 02:04:16 GMTNewsLocalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppThu, 08 Dec 2016 02:04:16 GMTGarrett BrngerTrump promises to heal divisions, plans visit to Ohio StatePresident-elect spoke at a rally Tuesday night in North Carolinahttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-promises-to-heal-divisions-plans-visit-to-ohio-state<p>President-elect Donald Trump promised to "heal our divisions and unify our country" as he prepares to meet with some of the victims of last week's car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University.</p><p>"When Americans are unified there is nothing we cannot do - nothing!" Trump told the crowd at a rally Tuesday night in Fayetteville, North Carolina. "I'm asking you to dream big again as Americans. I'm asking you to believe in yourselves."</p><p>The Republican businessman largely stuck to the script - and, in a change, even stopped the crowd when it started to boo the media - and avoided some of the score-settling and scorched-earth rhetoric that defined his campaign and was present again last week in Cincinnati.</p><p>Trump is expected to visit Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them before they are announced.</p><p>Authorities have said Ohio State University student Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, stabbed students before being fatally shot by police. He first rammed a campus crowd with his car before hopping out with a knife.</p><p>Authorities have said Artan, a Somali immigrant, was inspired by Islamic State rhetoric, but they are still investigating the claim by the militant group that it had recruited the student. Trump has denounced the immigration policies that allowed Artan into the country.</p><p>In North Carolina, he repeated his vow to fortify the nation's military and brought Marine Gen. James Mattis on stage, officially naming his choice to be defense secretary after teasing it last week.</p><p>Earlier Tuesday, Trump telegraphed that when he takes office in six weeks he'll take an interventionist role in the nation's economy - as well as play showman when he sees a chance. The celebrity businessman's declaration about Air Force One caused manufacturer Boeing's stock to drop temporarily and raised fresh questions about how his administration - not to mention his Twitter volleys - could affect the economy.</p><p>"The plane is totally out of control," Trump told reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower. "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money." Earlier he had tweeted that the deal's costs were "out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!"</p><p>Not long after his first appearance, Trump returned to the lobby with Masayoshi Son, the CEO of SoftBank, a massive telecommunications company that counts Sprint among its holdings. Trump pointed proudly to Son's commitment to invest $50 billion in the United States, which Trump said could create 50,000 jobs.</p><p>Trump - who also tweeted the deal - shook Son's hand and posed for photos. Details of the deal were scarce and it was unclear if the money was part of a fund of up to $100 billion in global technology investments that SoftBank and the government of Saudi Arabia announced in October.</p><p>As for Air Force One, the government has agreed that Boeing will build two new planes, which would go into service around 2024. That means Trump might never fly on the aircraft, which carry U.S. presidents around the globe.</p><p>The overall deal for researching, developing and building new planes was to be about $3 billion, but costs have been reported to be rising. The General Accountability Office estimated in March that about $2 billion of the total - for work between 2010 and 2020 - was for research and development on complex systems, not for building the actual aircraft. The inflated $4 billion figure Trump cited appears to include operation and maintenance as well.</p><p>Trump had tweeted in 2013 that he owned Boeing stock, but a spokesman said Tuesday he sold all of his stock holdings in June. That sale was not publicized by the campaign at the time, and aides did not reveal how much cash it might have generated.</p>493273704Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:33:22 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppWed, 07 Dec 2016 09:33:22 GMTTrump says cancel new Air Force One: Costs 'out of control'Contract for the planes was to be about $3 billionhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-says-cancel-new-air-force-one-costs-out-of-control<p>The government should cancel its multibillion-dollar order for new Air Force One presidential planes, Donald Trump declared Tuesday, serving notice he's ready to jump in and start making decisions six weeks before his inauguration.</p><p>Costs for the two Boeing 747s are "totally out of control," Trump told reporters in the lobby of his New York skyscraper.</p><p>The government has contracted with Boeing to build two or more new planes, which would go into service around 2024. That means Trump wouldn't fly on the new planes, which carry U.S. presidents around the globe, unless he pursued and won a second term. But the Air Force has pressed for a faster schedule, saying the current planes are becoming too expensive to repair and keep in good flying shape.</p><p>The contract for the planes was to be about $3 billion, but costs have been reported to be rising. Trump tweeted early Tuesday, "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!"</p><p>Later, he said the costs are ridiculous: "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money.</p><p>The price of Boeing stock dipped after his comments but not drastically.</p><p>Asked for comment about Trump's statements, Boeing spokesman Todd Blecher said, "We are going to have to get back to you after we figure out what's going on."</p><p>Trump now uses his own plane, a Boeing 757, but as president he would travel aboard the Air Force jet, which is equipped with special safety, defensive and communications equipment.</p><p>Later Tuesday, Trump is making the second stop of this "thank you" tour in North Carolina, less than a week after his bombastic return to rallies at an Ohio appearance that felt more like a raucous campaign stop than a traditional speech by a president-to-be.</p><p>At that Cincinnati stop, Trump disparaged the media as "dishonest," inspired loud "Build the wall" chants, took swipes at fellow Republicans and stunned his own aides with his surprise announcement from the stage that he was appointing retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense.</p><p>Mattis' selection was being formally announced Tuesday, and Mattis will appear with Trump at the evening event in Fayetteville, Vice President-elect Mike Pence said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."</p><p>Later this week there will be rallies in Iowa and Michigan as Trump barnstorms the country to salute his supporters who delivered the victories in the battleground states he needed to capture the White House.</p><p>The North Carolina rally comes a day after Trump chose retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, raising fresh concerns about the lack of experience some of Trump's Cabinet picks have with agencies they're now being chosen to lead.</p><p>Carson, who opposed Trump in the Republican primaries, has no background in government or running a large bureaucracy.</p><p>Pence defended Carson's selection, saying he was "absolutely qualified" for the post.</p><p>South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's choice to be ambassador to the United Nations, has no foreign policy experience. Steve Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs partner and Hollywood executive, is Trump's man to lead the Treasury Department but has never worked in government. And Mattis, a widely praised battlefield commander, spent decades in the Marines but now is tapped to run the nation's largest government agency, the Defense Department, with 740,000 civilian employees in addition to 1.3 million service personnel.</p><p>Democrats swiftly criticized Carson's qualifications for his job. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called him a "disconcerting and disturbingly unqualified choice." And New York Sen. Charles Schumer said he had "serious concerns about Dr. Carson's lack of expertise and experience in dealing with housing issues. Someone who is as anti-government as him is a strange fit for housing secretary, to say the least."</p><p>Carson would oversee a budget of nearly $50 billion that provides rental assistance for more than 5 million households. Demand for that assistance is high in part because housing costs are rising faster than incomes. HUD also promotes home ownership with the Federal Housing Administration underwriting about 1 in 6 mortgages issued in the U.S. The agency is charged with enforcing federal fair housing laws, too.</p><p>In a statement, Trump said he was "thrilled to nominate" Carson, citing his "brilliant mind" and his passion "about strengthening communities and families within those communities."</p><p>Carson, who grew up poor, quickly endorsed Trump after ending his own presidential bid despite Trump noting what he called Carson's "pathological temper." Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump's election victory that he wasn't certain he'd fit into a Cabinet-style role in a job like Health and Human Services secretary.</p><p>Trump's selections also highlight a frequent divide between the two major political parties in their strategies in filling out a Cabinet: In early 2009, Republicans criticized incoming President Barack Obama for not making enough selections with private-sector experience.</p>493110041Tue, 06 Dec 2016 15:31:42 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppTue, 06 Dec 2016 15:31:42 GMTTrump heads back out on road for 'thank you' tourSecond stop to take place in North Carolinahttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-heads-back-out-on-road-for-thank-you-tour<p>President-elect Donald Trump is taking his show back on the road.</p><p>Trump is slated to hold the second stop of this "thank you" tour Tuesday in North Carolina, less than a week after his bombastic return to rallies at an Ohio appearance that felt more like a raucous campaign stop than a traditional speech by a president-to-be.</p><p>At that Cincinnati stop, Trump disparaged the media as "dishonest," inspired loud "Build the wall" chants, took swipes at fellow Republicans and stunned his own aides with his surprise announcement from the stage that that he was appointing retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense.</p><p>The Tuesday appearance in Fayetteville will be followed by rallies in Iowa and Michigan later this week as Trump barnstorms the country to salute his supporters who delivered the victories in the battleground states he needed to capture the White House.</p><p>The North Carolina rally will come a day after Trump chose retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, raising fresh concerns about the lack of experience some of Trump's Cabinet picks have with agencies they're now being chosen to lead.</p><p>Carson, who opposed Trump in the Republican primaries, has no background in government or running a large bureaucracy.</p><p>In addition, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's choice to be ambassador to the United Nations, has no foreign policy experience. Steve Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs partner and Hollywood executive, is Trump's man to lead the Treasury Department but has never worked in government. And Mattis, a widely praised battlefield commander, spent decades in the Marines but now is tapped to run the nation's largest government agency, the Defense Department, with 740,000 civilian employees in addition to 1.3 million service personnel.</p><p>Democrats swiftly criticized Carson's qualifications for his job. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called him a "disconcerting and disturbingly unqualified choice." And New York Sen. Charles Schumer said he had "serious concerns about Dr. Carson's lack of expertise and experience in dealing with housing issues. Someone who is as anti-government as him is a strange fit for housing secretary, to say the least."</p><p>Carson would oversee a budget of nearly $50 billion that provides rental assistance for more than 5 million households. Demand for that assistance is high in part because housing costs are rising faster than incomes. HUD also promotes home ownership with the Federal Housing Administration underwriting about 1 in 6 mortgages issued in the U.S. The agency is charged with enforcing federal fair housing laws, too.</p><p>In a statement, Trump said he was "thrilled to nominate" Carson, citing his "brilliant mind" and his passion "about strengthening communities and families within those communities."</p><p>Carson, who grew up poor, quickly endorsed Trump after ending his own presidential bid despite Trump noting what he called Carson's "pathological temper." Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump's election victory that he wasn't certain he'd fit into a Cabinet-style role in a job like Health and Human Services secretary.</p><p>Trump's selections also highlight a frequent divide between the two major political parties in their strategies in filling out a Cabinet: In early 2009, Republicans criticized incoming President Barack Obama for not making enough selections with private-sector experience.</p><p>On Monday, Trump received a fresh stream of visitors to the New York skyscraper that bears his name. His most surprising guest was Democratic former Vice President Al Gore. Transition officials said early Monday that Gore would meet with Trump's daughter, Ivanka, about climate change, which is Gore's signature issue.</p><p>But Gore said he also met with Trump directly and the two had a "very productive conversation."</p><p>"It was a sincere search for areas of common ground," said Gore, who did not detail what the men discussed. The president-elect has called man-made climate change a hoax and has pledged to undo a number of regulations designed to protect the environment.</p><p>Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, told reporters that staffing decisions were made Monday that would be announced in the coming days.</p>493078199Tue, 06 Dec 2016 09:33:45 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppTue, 06 Dec 2016 09:33:45 GMTGun rights, bathroom bill among Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's legislative priorities140-day legislative session opens Jan. 10http://www.ksat.com/news/politics/lt-gov-dan-patrick-discusses-legislative-priorities-bathroom-bill-second-amendment-rights-voter-id-cyberbullying<p>With a little more than a month before the opening of the next legislative session, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick talked about his legislative priorities for the upcoming session during a visit to San Antonio Monday.</p><p>Topics included transgender people's use of restrooms in public places, cyberbullying and improving foster care.</p><p>One of the hottest topics has eyes from across the nation on Texas: The Women's Privacy Act. The law, proposed by Patrick, would require people to use the restroom corresponding with the gender of their birth.</p><p>"We don't want men in ladies' rooms in Texas," Patrick said. "We don't want boys and girls showering together in our public schools."</p><p>When North Carolina passed a similar law, the NCAA pulled seven championship events out of the state. San Antonio is set to host the NCAA Final Four in 2018. Texas already led a multi-state lawsuit that has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's directive allowing transgender students to use the public school bathrooms of their choice.</p><p>"I would say to the NCAA tournament, again, don't threaten Texas that you're going to withhold money from us because we want to do something that 80 percent of Texans support," Patrick said. Democrats and business leaders are opposed, as is Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who says the issue isn't urgent and worries about North Carolina-like backlash.</p><p>San Antonians and others are also keeping tabs on "David's Law," which looks to reform school district cyberbullying policies.</p><p>"I think about how difficult it has to be for a child today or teenager to grow up in a world where someone can go online and bully them or try to harass them or intimidate them," Patrick said.</p><p>The lieutenant governor believes the legislature is working strongly to improve care for foster children and provide additional funding to the Department of Family and Protective Services.</p><p>Patrick is also focused on protecting Texans' Second Amendment rights by eliminating the license to carry fee. The issue has been filed as SB 16. He would like to reduce property taxes, ensure every parent has the option to send their child to the school they believe is best for them and provide protection to officers by issuing bullet-proof vests.</p><p>Patrick also mentioned he supports legislation requiring photo voter ID, and believes it will be an emergency item for the governor.</p><p>The 85th Legislative convenes on Jan. 10.</p>492999084Tue, 06 Dec 2016 01:10:26 GMTNewsLocalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppTue, 06 Dec 2016 01:10:26 GMTPilar AriasTrump taps former campaign rival Carson as housing secretaryDecision was announced early Monday by transition officehttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-taps-former-campaign-rival-carson-as-housing-secretary<p>President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Campaign 2016 rival Ben Carson to become secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.</p><p>Trump's decision, announced early Monday by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration.</p><p>In a statement, Trump says he's "thrilled to nominate" Carson, saying he "has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities."</p><p>Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump's election victory that he wasn't certain he'd fit into a Cabinet-style role. The discussion at that time centered on speculation that Carson might be selected to head the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services.</p><p>Trump's statement Monday says, "Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans."</p><p>Carson was among the 16 Republican candidates who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. He was a favorite of religious conservatives and a strong fundraiser, but his team burned through money quickly and he failed to win any of the early primary contests.</p><p>Trump treated Carson harshly during the primary, saying he had a "pathological temper." Still, Carson quickly endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the contest.</p><p>As a Trump supporter, Carson was both loyal and critical. He conceded that Trump had "major defects" and said at one point that he would have preferred a scenario other than Trump winning the Republican primary.</p><p>Last week, Trump announced that he planned to nominate former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as his Treasury secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to lead the Commerce Department. He chose Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to be transportation secretary. Trump also has turned to retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense.</p><p>A retired neurosurgeon, Carson has often recounted his childhood as the son of a single mother in inner-city Detroit in his books and motivational speeches. In his 1996 autobiography "Gifted Hands," Carson wrote of the humiliation he felt using food stamps from his mom to pay for bread and milk, and said how he began to excel at school only after receiving a free pair of glasses that allowed him to see the lessons written on chalk boards.</p><p>Carson has not said whether his family ever lived in federally-funded housing or received Section 8 subsidies to help pay rent. But as a political figure he has criticized such public assistance programs for creating "dependency" on the government among low-income minorities.</p><p>"I'm interested in getting rid of dependency, and I want us to find a way to allow people to excel in our society, and as more and more people hear that message, they will recognize who is truly on their side and who is trying to keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes," Carson said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2015.</p><p> </p>492911449Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:19:53 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppMon, 05 Dec 2016 12:19:53 GMTTrump renews defense of his call with Taiwan leaderVP-elect Pence: 'It was a courtesy call'http://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-renews-defense-of-his-call-with-taiwan-leader<p>President-elect Donald Trump is using Twitter to renew his defense of his engagement with the leader of Taiwan, a breach of diplomatic protocol as the U.S. shifted recognition from Taiwan to China nearly 40 years ago.</p><p>In a series of Sunday evening tweets, Trump groused about criticism that he didn't work with China ahead of the contact. China considers Taiwan a rogue province.</p><p>"Did China ask us if it was OK to carry out a number of actions such as build up disputed islands in the South China Sea or take economic measures hurtful to the United States," Trump tweeted.</p><p>The Taiwanese leader, Tsai Ing-Wen, called Trump Friday to congratulate him on the election in communication arranged by an American third party. Taiwan's official Central News Agency, citing anonymous sources on Saturday, said that Edwin Feulner, founder of the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, was a "crucial figure" in setting up communication channels between the sides.</p><p>The call prompted an understated complaint from China to the U.S. government. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that the contact was "just a small trick by Taiwan" that he believed would not change U.S. policy toward China, according to Hong Kong's Phoenix TV.</p><p>"The one-China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-U.S. relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged," Wang was quoted as saying. Chinese officials said they lodged a complaint with the U.S. and reiterated a commitment to seeking "reunification" with the island, which they consider a renegade province.</p><p>The call was the starkest example yet of how Trump has flouted diplomatic conventions since he won the Nov. 8 election. He has apparently undertaken calls with foreign leaders without guidance customarily given by the State Department, which oversees U.S. diplomacy.</p><p>"President-elect Trump is just shooting from the hip, trying to take phone calls of congratulatory messages from leaders around the world without consideration for the implications," said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.</p><p>Vice President-elect Mike Pence said Sunday that the phone call shouldn't necessarily be interpreted as a shift in U.S. policy. He shrugged off the attention to the incident as media hype.</p><p>"It was a courtesy call," Pence told NBC's "Meet the Press."</p><p>Over the decades, the status of Taiwan has been one of the most sensitive issues in U.S.-China relations. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory to be retaken by force, if necessary, if it seeks independence. It would regard any recognition of a Taiwanese leader as a head of state as unacceptable.</p><p>Taiwan split from the Chinese mainland in 1949. The U.S. policy acknowledges the Chinese view over sovereignty, but considers Taiwan's status as unsettled.</p><p>Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Trump's conversation does not signal any change to long-standing U.S. policy on cross-strait issues. Yet the phone conversation prompted mixed reactions.</p><p>Douglas Paal, a former director of the American Institute in Taiwan, which unofficially represents U.S. interests in Taipei, said it was too soon to judge whether Trump was going to lead that shift, or if the incident was just a "complicated accident."</p><p>"Beijing will watch closely to see which it is," said Paal, now vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.</p><p>The U.S. shifted diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979. But the governments in Washington and Taipei have maintained close unofficial ties and deep economic and defense relations. The U.S. is required by law to provide Taiwan with weapons to maintain its defense, and since 2009, the Obama administration has approved $14 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.</p><p>The Taiwanese presidential office said Trump and Tsai discussed issues affecting Asia and the future of U.S. relations with Taiwan. Tsai also told Trump that she hoped the U.S. would support Taiwan in its participation in international affairs, the office said, in an apparent reference to China's efforts to isolate Taiwan from global institutions such as the United Nations.</p><p>Taiwan's presidential office spokesman, Alex Huang, said separately that Taiwan's relations with China and "healthy" Taiwan-U.S. relations can proceed in parallel. "There is no conflict" in that, he said.</p><p>China's foreign ministry said Beijing lodged "solemn representations" with the U.S. over the call.</p><p>"It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory," Geng Shuang, a ministry spokesman, said in a statement. "The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing China."</p>492898929Mon, 05 Dec 2016 09:26:26 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppMon, 05 Dec 2016 09:26:26 GMTIn Texas, debate over schools, bathrooms may trump guns, pothttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/in-texas-debate-over-schools-bathrooms-may-trump-guns-pot_<p>Austin and Washington should be far more simpatico under soon-to-be Republican President Donald Trump than the White House's current occupant, but there's still room for potential policy clashes when Texas' GOP-controlled Legislature heads back to work.</p><p>Immigration, schools, no-longer-so-flush state coffers and fights over which bathrooms transgender Texans can use will likely drive debate, while guns and marijuana policy may take a backseat. The wild card: abortion policy, due to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Texas' 2013 restrictions.</p><p>Here are key issues to watch -- and what might get overshadowed -- when lawmakers begin their 140-day session on Jan. 10:</p><p>IMMIGRATION</p><p>The Department of Public Safety wants more than $1 billion to help secure the Texas-Mexico border, but Trump's promises to build a towering wall and impose an immigration crackdown could spare the state from spending so much.</p><p>Trump's victory also may spur approval of two contentious immigration initiatives that stalled in previous sessions: A would-be ban on "sanctuary cities" requiring police officers to enforce federal immigration laws and the repeal of a 2001 law offering cheaper in-state tuition at public universities to some high school graduates who came to the U.S. illegally.</p><p>EDUCATION</p><p>There are bipartisan calls to spend more on K-12 classrooms but lawmakers won't be compelled to do so because the Texas Supreme Court declared the school finance system constitutional in May, ending a lengthy legal fight.</p><p>Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a tea party favorite who heads the Texas Senate, is again championing school vouchers, which give families public money to pay for private and religious schools. He could have a powerful ally in Betsy DeVos, a "school choice" advocate tapped to be Trump's education secretary.</p><p>But for years, the issue's been stymied in the Texas House by Democrats and by rural Republicans wary of hurting public schools that are the lifeblood of their small districts.</p><p>TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS</p><p>Texas already led a multi-state lawsuit that has temporarily blocked President Barack Obama's directive allowing transgender students to use the public school bathrooms of their choice. Now, Patrick and other top Republicans are backing proposals banning transgender people from doing the same in all Texas bathrooms -- mimicking a law that North Carolina passed last year to national outcry, boycotts and the loss of lucrative sporting events.</p><p>Democrats and business leaders are opposed, as is Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who says the issue isn't urgent and worries about North Carolina-like backlash.</p><p>STATE BUDGET</p><p>Oil prices staying so low for so long have cooled the Texas economy. Lawmakers finished their last session in 2015 with about $4 billion in projected budget surpluses, but much of that may evaporate because projected state tax revenues declined. Oil and natural gas now accounts for about 8.5 percent of Texas' overall economic output, according to the comptroller's office.</p><p>There's still $10-plus billion in the rainy day fund -- money top Republicans have vowed to mostly preserve. Yet, doing so will make it tougher to cover rising Medicaid expenses and pay for costly fixes to a troubled foster care system while also delivering on GOP promises to expand property tax cuts that have already lost the state billions.</p><p>FOSTER CARE</p><p>A federal judge is overseeing the foster care system overhaul, needed because hundreds of at-risk children are going unseen by caseworkers due to understaffing at the Child Protective Services agency so acute that some youngsters have slept in state offices.</p><p>Gov. Greg Abbott is clamoring for faster improvements, but they won't come cheap. Lawmakers have already approved nearly $150 million in special emergency funding -- and that's just the start.</p><p>ABORTION</p><p>Lawmakers may strike back after the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled key portions of the state's 2013 abortion restrictions.</p><p>One untouched policy was a ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy; legislators could try to move that ban up by a few weeks. Some Republicans also want to prohibit abortion in the case of severe fetal abnormalities, meaning the procedure could be available in Texas only if the mother's health is threatened.</p><p>GUNS</p><p>"The Year of the Gun" during the 2015 session allowed license holders to carry handguns in plain sight and bring them onto college campuses. Now, conservatives could tweak those laws to ensure there are fewer zones where authorities have kept gun bans, such as zoos and some public buildings.</p><p>But firearm policy may otherwise take a backseat since there appears little appetite for "constitutional carry," or letting non-license holders -- virtually anyone in Texas -- openly carry guns.</p><p>MARIJUANA</p><p>Relaxed marijuana laws for legal and medicinal use have even come to more conservative states like Arkansas, but don't count on Texas to follow suit. After the Legislature took the baby step of legalizing cannabis oil to treat epilepsy in 2015, Abbott declared that the state would go no further, likely dooming bills for broader legalization.</p>492839821Sun, 04 Dec 2016 22:54:03 GMTNewsLocalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppSun, 04 Dec 2016 22:54:03 GMTEveryone has the right to burn a flag, Constitutional scholar saysPresident-elect Trump's thoughts on burning flag spark outragehttp://www.ksat.com/features/trump-on-flag-burning-loss-of-citizenship-or-year-in-jail<p>It's the tweet that started it all. President-elect Donald Trump said, "Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!"</p><p>Why he said it isn't clear. What is known is that the statement has sparked outrage among people across the country.</p><p>"The US American flag deserves to be burned!" shouted one person in a video on Twitter with the hashtag "FlagBurningChallenge."</p><p>They're doing it for many reasons. One is to represent America's dark sides: slavery, oppression, and genocide. The other reason is to underscore the fact that burning the flag is protected by the First Amendment.</p><p>Enrique Macias is a war veteran from San Antonio. Among the many places he served overseas was Kirkuk, Iraq.</p><p>Macias said that he fought for freedom, including flag burning. Although it's a symbol of pride for the war hero, he still can't come to terms with why people do it.</p>
<p>"I'm so thankful for the opportunity to serve the American people," he said of his service. "I wouldn't want to see somebody thrown in jail for a right that we gave them, but it is saddening. It breaks my heart seeing that because we put that flag over our fallen soldiers."</p><p>Attorney and UTSA lecturer Javier Oliva, who is an expert in Constitutional law, says Trump's tweet doesn't necessarily put freedoms under the First Amendment at risk.</p><p>He said it's another example of how in touch Trump is with his base.</p><p>"Trump has been masterful at tapping the passion of people's feelings," he said.</p><p>Both the U.S. Supreme Court and courts in Texas have upheld the act of flag burning as a form of free speech under the First Amendment.</p><p>"The Constitution is a reflection of a democracy's values," he said. "But those values, and the great thing about our country's Constitution, is that it's focused on the rights of the individual."</p><p>That's why the backlash against Trump's tweet has been so expressive.</p><p><strong> Colin Kapernick </strong></p><p>Recently, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick exercised his right under the First Amendment to protest inequalities of African-Americans and other minorities.</p><p>The sports star refused to stand during the national anthem at his games, which spurred criticism far and wide.</p><p>Oliva said that anyone has the right to express themselves, whether it's on the football field or not.</p><p>"He used his position to make a statement," Olive said. "It doesn't seem to have affected his ability to play the sport."</p><p>Some argue that Kaepernick's actions were inappropriate given that he works for the National Football League and should respect the organization and its patriotic standards.</p><p>Oliva said businesses hope their employees follow traditional protocol. Kaepernick broke a cultural norm that created a lot of attention.</p><p>"There's no doubt he has every right to do it," Oliva said. "There's people who go to the concession stands during the anthem. What we're seeing in society is rituals slowly going away."</p><p><strong> Napkins, shirts and memorabilia </strong></p><p>While Trump called attention to flag burning, there are millions of people who use the flag in many other ways. Some wear the symbol of the flag on their shirts. There are people who use napkins with the flag printed on them. News anchors, politicians and others wear a flag pin on their lapel.</p><p><strong> Are these uses disrespectful? </strong></p><p>Oliva said it's a social use of the stars and stripes, and what matters is intention.</p><p>"We can enjoy the stars and stripes in ways that we can express love of country," he said. "Many people don't find it disrespectful to use napkins because the intent isn't malicious."</p><p>If burning the flag were outlawed, Oliva believes it'd be a slippery slope.</p><p>"There's a problem in banning any type of desecration of the flag. (It) expands the area of censorship of which our country is not prepared to accept," he said.</p>492558919Sat, 03 Dec 2016 01:41:37 GMTNewsLocalPoliticsFeaturesTop StoriesTrendingNewsreader AppSat, 03 Dec 2016 01:41:37 GMTRyan LoydHouse passes $611 billion defense policy bill by wide marginBill will go to Senate next weekhttp://www.ksat.com/news/house-passes-611-billion-defense-policy-bill-by-wide-margin<p>The Republican-led House on Friday overwhelmingly backed a $611 billion defense policy bill that rejects a number of President Barack Obama's key proposals for managing the nation's vast military enterprise.</p><p>Lawmakers passed the legislative package, 375-34. The bill now goes to the Senate where a vote is expected early next week.</p><p>The bill, crafted after weeks of talks between House and Senate negotiators, prohibits Obama from following through on his longstanding campaign pledge to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The bill also bars the Pentagon from reducing the number of military bases even though senior U.S. defense officials said there is excess capacity, and it awards U.S. troops their largest pay raise in six years. Obama had recommended a smaller pay increase.</p><p>The bill would prevent the Pentagon from forcing thousands of California National Guard troops to repay enlistment bonuses and benefits they received a decade after they signed up to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers would have to return a bonus only if a "preponderance of the evidence" shows they knew they weren't eligible to receive the money.</p><p>Even at $611 billion, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee lamented that more money is needed in the defense budget to restock the U.S. arsenal worn down by 15 years of conflict. Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas said he is hopeful President-elect Donald Trump, who pledged during the campaign to spend more on the military, will ask Congress early next year to boost fiscal year 2017 military spending even further.</p><p>During his 2008 bid for president, Obama pledged to close the detention facility at Guantanamo, which he called a recruiting tool for extremist groups. But Republicans and a number of Democrats repeatedly thwarted his goal over the ensuing years, arguing the prison was badly needed for housing suspected terrorists.</p><p>The ban on closing the prison also includes a prohibition on moving Guantanamo detainees to secure facilities in the U.S. Trump has not only pledged to keep Guantanamo open, he said during the campaign that he wants to "load it up with some bad dudes."</p>
<p>The defense legislation also authorizes a 2.1 percent pay raise for the troops -- a half-percentage point higher than the Pentagon requested in its budget presentation.</p><p>The Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, said it's the largest military pay increase since 2010.</p><p>The White House Office of Management and Budget objected to the larger raise, telling lawmakers earlier this year that the lower amount would save $336 million this fiscal year and $2.2 billion through 2021. A bigger increase, the budget office said, would upset the careful balance between competitive pay and acquiring cutting-edge equipment and training.</p><p>The bill blocks the Pentagon's planned reductions in the number of active-duty troops by prohibiting the Army from falling below 476,000 active-duty soldiers -- 16,000 more than Obama's defense budget had proposed. The bill also adds 7,000 service members to the Air Force and Marine Corps.</p><p>House and Senate negotiators dropped a House plan to shift $18 billion from the emergency wartime spending account to pay for additional weapons and combat gear the Pentagon didn't include in its budget request.</p><p>They elected instead to boost the wartime account, which isn't constrained by mandatory budget limits, by $3.2 billion to help halt a decline in the military's ability to respond to global threats.</p><p>The decision may have been motivated by Trump's assurances that he would increase defense spending dramatically, allowing the armed forces to add tens of thousands more troops and acquire new weapons.</p><p>The defense bill contains $5.8 billion in additional war-related funding Obama requested last month primarily for operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. That includes $2.5 billion to maintain elevated U.S. troop levels of 8,400 in Afghanistan as announced over the summer. About $383 million would pay for air strikes against Islamic State militants.</p><p>Lawmakers avoided wading more deeply into social policy issues by stripping two contentious provisions from the bill. One, opposed by Democrats, would have allowed federal contractors to discriminate against workers on the basis of sexual or gender orientation.</p><p>Another, opposed by Republicans, would have required for the first time in U.S. history that young women sign up for a potential military draft.</p><p>The Obama administration on Thursday declared its support for requiring women to register for the military draft, a symbolic but significant shift that reflects the U.S. military's evolution from a male-dominated force to one seeking to incorporate women at all levels.</p>
492533919Fri, 02 Dec 2016 21:04:07 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesTrendingNewsreader AppFri, 02 Dec 2016 21:04:07 GMTWhite House announces support for women in military draftObama has been considering adopting stance since last Decemberhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/white-house-announces-support-for-women-in-military-draft<p>The Obama administration has declared its support for requiring women to register for the military draft, a symbolic but significant shift that reflects the U.S. military's evolution from a male-dominated force to one seeking to incorporate women at all levels.</p><p>President Barack Obama has been considering whether to adopt the position since last December, when Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the military to open all jobs to women, including the most arduous combat posts. Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, said Thursday that Obama believes women have "proven their mettle," including in Afghanistan and Iraq.</p><p>"As old barriers for military service are being removed, the administration supports - as a logical next step - women registering for the Selective Service," Price said, using the formal name for the military draft.</p><p>The White House emphasized that the administration remains committed to an all-volunteer military - meaning women, like men, wouldn't be forced to serve unless there were a national emergency like a major world war. Changing the policy would require an act of Congress, and there are no signs that lawmakers plan to move swiftly to alter the law.</p><p>Obama, who will leave office in less than two months, has less leverage over Congress and the broader Washington agenda than he did earlier in his presidency. Like his embrace of gay marriage in 2012, Obama's announcement appeared aimed more at influencing the public debate about women in the military in the coming years than forcing an immediate policy change.</p><p>The Defense Department echoed Obama's position, first reported by USA Today. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said that Carter believes the inclusion of women throughout the military's echelons has strengthened the military's might.</p><p>"He thinks it makes sense for women to register for Selective Service, just as men must," Cook said.</p><p>But a $611 defense policy bill now up for a vote in the House stripped out language that would have required women to register for the draft.</p><p>Late last year, the Pentagon ordered all military jobs opened to women, including about 220,000 jobs previously restricted to men, including in special operations forces. Carter and other military leaders insisted that the military wouldn't lower the physical standards for those jobs to enable more women to qualify.</p><p>Integrating women has not been fast or easy. Earlier this year the top Army and Marine Corps generals told senators it would take up to three years to fully integrate women into all combat jobs. The military services have started recruiting women for those jobs and making necessary changes to bathrooms and other facilities. But some of the services, such as the Marine Corps, have predicted or experienced challenges identifying large numbers of candidates who want to serve in combat and meet the physical requirements.</p><p>Under current law, women can volunteer to serve in the military, but aren't required to register for the draft. All adult men must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday, and risk losing eligibility for student aid, job training and government jobs if they fail to comply.</p><p>Signing up for the draft entails registering with the U.S. Selective Service, an independent agency aimed at ensuring a fair distribution of military duties if the president and Congress had to enact a draft. The U.S. hasn't had a military draft since 1973, during the Vietnam War era.</p><p>The new posture from the Obama administration came at an unusual time, just two days after House and Senate negotiators agreed to strip a provision from the annual defense policy bill that would have required young women to register.</p><p>The measure had roiled social conservatives, who decried it as another step toward the blurring of gender lines akin to allowing transgender people to use public lavatories and locker rooms. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, spoke for a number of Republicans when he described the provision as "coercing America's daughters" into draft registration.</p><p>But proponents of including women in the draft pool viewed the requirement as a sensible step toward gender equality. They pointed to the Pentagon's decision last year to open all front-line combat jobs to women as removing any justification for gender restrictions on registration.</p>492464420Fri, 02 Dec 2016 09:44:24 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppFri, 02 Dec 2016 09:44:23 GMTTrump to nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to lead PentagonMade announcement Thursday night at a post-election victory rallyhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-to-nominate-retired-gen-james-mattis-to-lead-pentagon<p>President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to be his defense secretary.</p><p>Mattis, 66, is a Marine Corps general who retired in 2013 after serving as the commander of the U.S. Central Command.</p><p>Trump made the announcement Thursday night at a post-election victory rally in Cincinnati.</p><p>Mattis' selection raises questions about increased military influence in a job designed to insure civilian control of the armed forces. The concerns revolve around whether a recently retired service member would rely more on military solutions to international problems, rather than take a broader, more diplomatic approach.</p><p>For Mattis to be confirmed, Congress would first have to approve legislation bypassing a law that bars retired military officers from becoming defense secretary within seven years of leaving active duty.</p><p>Mattis has a reputation as a battle-hardened, tough-talking Marine who was entrusted with some of the most challenging commands in the U.S. military. In a tweet last month, Trump referred to Mattis by his nickname "Mad Dog" and described him as "A true General's General!"</p><p>Mattis would be only the second retired general to serve as defense secretary, the first being George C. Marshall in 1950-51 during the Korean War. Marshall was a much different figure, having previously served as U.S. secretary of state and playing a key role in creating closer ties with Western Europe after World War II.</p><p>The only previous exception to the law requiring a gap after military service was for Marshall.</p><p>Although his record in combat and his credentials as a senior commander are widely admired, Mattis has little experience in the diplomatic aspects of the job of secretary of defense.</p><p>Richard Fontaine, president of the Center for a New American Security, described Mattis as a defense intellectual and as a military leader who distinguished himself in combat.</p><p>"He knows the Middle East, South Asia, NATO and other areas and has evinced both a nuanced approach to the wars we're in and an appreciation for the importance of allies," Fontaine said in an email exchange. "If he were to get the nomination, I suspect that he could attract a number of very talented people to work with him."</p><p>But Mattis hasn't been immune to controversy. He was criticized for remarking in 2005 that he enjoyed shooting people. He also drew more recent scrutiny for his involvement with the embattled biotech company Theranos, where he serves on the board.</p><p>Born in Pullman, Washington, Mattis enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969, later earning a history degree from Central Washington University. He was commissioned as an officer in 1972. As a lieutenant colonel, Mattis led an assault battalion into Kuwait during the first U.S. war with Iraq in 1991.</p><p>As head of the Central Command from 2010 until his retirement in 2013, he was in charge of both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p><p>In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Mattis commanded the Marines who launched an early amphibious assault into Afghanistan and established a U.S. foothold in the Taliban heartland.</p><p>As the first wave of Marines moved toward Kandahar, Mattis declared that, "The Marines have landed, and now we own a piece of Afghanistan."</p><p>Two years later, he helped lead the invasion into Iraq in 2003 as the two-star commander of the 1st Marine Division.</p><p>In 2005, he raised eyebrows when he told a San Diego forum that it was "fun to shoot some people."</p><p>According to a recording of his remarks, Mattis said, "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. ... It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling."</p><p>He added, "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis continued. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."</p><p>Mattis was counseled to choose his words more carefully.</p><p>A year later, Mattis came under scrutiny during one of the more high-profile criminal investigations of the Iraq war, the shooting deaths of 24 Iraqis by Marines.</p><p>The Iraqis, who included unarmed women and children, were killed by Marines in the town of Haditha after one of their comrades was killed by a roadside bomb. Eight Marines were charged in connection with the killings - four enlisted men were charged with unpremeditated murder and four officers who weren't there at the time were accused of failures in investigating and reporting the deaths.</p><p>As commander of the accused Marines' parent unit, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Mattis ultimately dismissed charges against most of the Marines.</p><p>As a top Marine general, Mattis pushed for the military to adopt blood-testing technology developed by Theranos.</p><p>As reported by The Washington Post , Mattis first met Theranos founder Elizabeth A. Holmes in 2011. A year later, according to emails obtained by The Post, Holmes used her connection to Mattis to pressure him to intervene after a Pentagon official raised concerns that the company was distributing its technology without approval by the Food and Drug Administration.</p><p>The emails show within hours after Holmes asked Mattis for help, he forwarded her email to other military officials asking them,"how do we overcome this new obstacle."</p><p>Mattis joined the Theranos board the same year he retired. The company, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars on the promise of breakthrough blood-testing technology, was forced to invalidate two years of patients' test results after the reliability of its proprietary blood-testing machinery was questioned by internal and government whistleblowers and investigative reporting by The Wall Street Journal.</p>492464106Fri, 02 Dec 2016 09:39:33 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppFri, 02 Dec 2016 09:39:33 GMTPoll: Only about 1 in 4 wants Trump to repeal health lawLaw has extended health care coverage to millionshttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/poll-only-about-1-in-4-wants-trump-to-repeal-health-law<p>Only about one in four Americans wants President-elect Donald Trump to entirely repeal his predecessor's health care law that extended coverage to millions, a new poll has found.</p><p>The post-election survey released Thursday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation also found hints of a pragmatic shift among some Republican foes of "Obamacare."</p><p>While 52 percent of Republicans say they want the law completely repealed, that share is down from 69 percent just last month, before the election. And more Republicans now say they want the law "scaled back" under the new president and GOP Congress, with that share more than doubling from 11 percent before the election to 24 percent after.</p><p>Kaiser CEO Drew Altman said the foundation's polling experts aren't quite sure what to make of that finding, and will continue to track the apparent shift in future polls. The organization is a clearinghouse for information and analysis about the health care system.</p><p>It could be that some Republicans "got a protest vote off their chests, and they're done with that," Altman said. "They now have a more moderate position."</p><p>After branding the Affordable Care Act a "disaster" during an election campaign that saw big premium hikes unveiled in its closing days, Trump has been saying he'd like to keep parts of the law.</p><p>On Capitol Hill, Republican leaders are trying to choreograph a legislative dance that would let them quickly repeal "Obamacare," then allow an interlude to segue to a replacement. The complex undertaking is fraught with political risk, because success is not guaranteed. It could disrupt coverage for millions by destabilizing the law's already fragile health insurance markets, such as HealthCare.gov.</p><p>The poll found some skepticism about that approach. Forty-two percent of those who want the 2010 health care law repealed said lawmakers should wait until they figure out the details of a replacement plan before doing so.</p><p>Americans were divided on next steps for President Barack Obama's signature law. Overall, 30 percent said the new president and Congress should expand what the law does, and another 19 percent said it should be implemented as is. On the other side, 26 percent said the law should be entirely repealed and 17 percent called for it to be scaled back.</p><p>Among Trump voters, 8 in 10 viewed the health care law unfavorably, and half wanted it entirely repealed.</p><p>As Republicans start to make changes in health care, potentially revamping Medicare and Medicaid as well, the politics of the issue could turn against them, Altman said. "They are going to go from casting stones to owning the problem," he said.</p><p>The poll found majorities across party lines support many of the health care law's provisions, but not its requirement that individuals have coverage or risk fines, and its mandate that medium-to-large employers pay fines if they don't offer health insurance.</p><p>Among the provisions with support across party lines:</p><p>-Allowing young adults to stay on a parent's insurance until age 26.</p><p>-No copayments for many preventive services.</p><p>-Closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap known as the "doughnut hole."</p><p>-Financial help for low- and moderate-income people to pay their insurance premiums.</p><p>- A state option to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.</p><p>-Barring insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person's medical history.</p><p>-Increased Medicare payroll taxes for upper-income earners.</p><p>The telephone poll was conducted from Nov. 15-21 among a nationally representative random digit dial sample of 1,202 adults, including people reached by landlines and cell phones. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.</p>492273641Thu, 01 Dec 2016 10:12:40 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppThu, 01 Dec 2016 10:12:40 GMTTrump will face tough questions on future of nuclear arsenalPresident-elect to make politically fraught decisions about weaponshttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-will-face-tough-questions-on-future-of-nuclear-arsenal<p>For all the concerns raised in the presidential campaign about Donald Trump's fitness to command America's nuclear arsenal, the immediate questions he's likely to face as president aren't about launching these weapons, but modernizing them.</p><p>He'll have to make politically fraught decisions about a U.S. nuclear arsenal that in some ways has become decrepit. Among the open questions: Can the U.S. get by with fewer? Is it time to take some off hair-trigger alert?</p><p>Trump's transition website says he "recognizes the uniquely catastrophic threats posed by nuclear weapons and cyberattacks," adding that he will modernize the nuclear arsenal "to ensure it continues to be an effective deterrent."</p><p>The questions left unanswered: How much modernization is enough, and in a world of widening cyber threats, how vulnerable are U.S. nuclear weapons?</p><p>During the campaign, nuclear issues were discussed in sweeping terms. Trump caused stirs by suggesting that America's Asian allies should no longer be covered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella if they don't pay more for their defense - or that they should possibly obtain their own nuclear bombs. President Barack Obama and other critics questioned whether Trump could be counted on to avoid using nuclear weapons. Ten former nuclear missile launch operators wrote that Trump lacks the temperament, judgment and diplomatic skill to avoid nuclear war.</p><p>The state of the nuclear arsenal was rarely addressed. To the extent it was, Trump did not show a firm understanding of details. At a debate with Republican rivals, he appeared unfamiliar with the concept of a nuclear triad, the Cold War-era combination of submarines, land-based missiles and strategic bombers for launching nuclear attacks.</p><p>"I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me," he said.</p><p>Trump may need to get up to speed quickly on nuclear weapon issues. He will soon be overseeing a Pentagon where there is internal competition between big-dollar plans for modernizing conventional and nuclear weapons, said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear weapons expert with the Federation of American Scientists, which favors reducing nuclear arsenals.</p><p>"He has made various vague statements that indicate that he believes in a strong military but doesn't seem to know much about nuclear forces and issues, is unconcerned about nuclear proliferation, yet also seems impressed by the 'hugeness' of nuclear weapons," Kristensen said in an email exchange.</p><p>He said Trump's comments and the views of his advisers make it seem likely his administration "will continue the full-scale (nuclear weapons) modernization plan that the Obama administration put in motion and Congress has largely supported."</p><p>Yet Trump's leading candidate for defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, is skeptical of the nuclear status quo.</p><p>"You should ask, 'Is it time to reduce the triad to a diad, removing the land-based missiles?'" he told the Senate Armed Services Committee in January 2015. He recommended a review of fundamental questions to "clearly establish the role of our nuclear weapons. Do they serve solely to deter nuclear war? If so, we should say so, and the resulting clarity will help to determine the number we need."</p><p>Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency she may have acted on her skepticism about the military's claim to require a complete rebuilding of the nuclear arsenal, particularly the need for a new air-launched nuclear cruise missile, which detractors say is a luxury the nation easily can do without.</p><p>Obama agreed to fully modernize the nuclear force as the political price for Senate approval of the 2010 New START arms control treaty negotiated with Russia during Clinton's tenure as secretary of state. The modernization entailed a commitment of hundreds of billions of dollars that critics say is unaffordable.</p><p>Non-government groups are studying the need for modernization and the vulnerability of the arsenal. The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a research and advocacy group whose co-chairman is Sam Nunn, the former Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is studying nuclear terrorism as well as the cyber threat to nuclear command-and-control systems.</p><p>"What if hackers spoofed a nuclear missile attack, forcing a miscalculated retaliatory strike that could kill millions?" the group asks in a description of its project.</p><p>Along with the cyber aspect of nuclear security is a parallel question: whether the U.S. should threaten the use of nuclear weapons in response to a catastrophic cyberattack.</p><p>New administrations often order up a broad and deep review of nuclear policy to lay the groundwork for decisions like some of those facing Trump. The Obama White House undertook a "nuclear posture review" in 2010 that concluded, for example, the U.S. should maintain all three legs of the nuclear triad.</p><p>In the years since that review, a growing number of people have questioned the wisdom of sticking to the same nuclear structure. William J. Perry, who served as secretary of defense in the administration of President Bill Clinton, has argued for eliminating the land-based missile "leg" of the triad.</p><p>Obama considered, but ultimately left for his successor, other sticky nuclear issues, including decisions on how to respond to what the Obama administration says are significant violations by Russia of a 1987 nuclear arms control agreement with implications for U.S. and European security.</p>492271230Thu, 01 Dec 2016 09:36:08 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppThu, 01 Dec 2016 09:36:08 GMTAP sources: Obama leans against last-minute action on IsraelPresident could address Mideast issue in a more limited wayhttp://www.ksat.com/news/politics/ap-sources-obama-leans-against-last-minute-action-on-israel<p>President Barack Obama has nearly ruled out any major last-ditch effort to put pressure on Israel over stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians, U.S. officials said, indicating Obama will likely avoid one last row with Israel's government as he leaves office.</p><p>Frustrated by the lack of progress, Obama for more than a year had considered giving a major speech describing his vision for a future peace deal or, in a more aggressive step, supporting a United Nations resolution laying out parameters for such a deal. Although the goal would be to impart fresh urgency to the moribund peace process, either step would have been perceived as constraining Israel's negotiating hand while strengthening the Palestinians' argument on the world stage.</p><p>Discussions about those potential maneuvers, under way before the U.S. election, have fallen off since Donald Trump's surprise victory, officials said. Obama is now highly unlikely to approve either of those options presented to him by U.S. diplomats, said the officials, who weren't authorized to discuss internal deliberations and requested anonymity.</p><p>Officials left open the possibility that Obama could address the Mideast issue in a more limited way, short of weighing in on the contours of a future peace accord, before leaving office.</p><p>The White House and the Israeli Embassy in Washington both declined to comment.</p><p>Obama's reluctance to upset the status quo in his final months in part reflects his desire to protect his legacy of support for the Jewish state. Though he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have disagreed sharply on Israeli settlements and the Iran nuclear deal, Obama recently signed an unprecedented military aid deal worth $38 billion over the next decade.</p><p>Avoiding a last-minute fight also allows Obama's successor to approach the Israeli-Palestinian issue unencumbered by a diplomatic hangover.</p><p>Anticipating that Democrat Hillary Clinton would win the White House race, the Obama administration had examined ways for Obama to more explicitly detail what he sees as obstacles to a breakthrough - such as continued Israeli settlement-building in West Bank lands claimed by the Palestinians for a future state. Clinton, who ran on a pledge to strongly support Israel, could have softened the tone upon taking office, potentially enough to lure both parties back to the table.</p><p>Trump's election dramatically changed the calculus.</p><p>The Republican Party and many Trump supporters are vehemently opposed to U.N. actions targeting Israel. So any action by Obama would put Trump on the defensive, potentially aggravating him and forcing him to respond publicly.</p><p>That could lead Trump to stake out a hard-line stance in opposition to Obama, in turn making it difficult for him to play a neutral arbiter between Israelis and Palestinians in the future. Trump has voiced interest in being the president to finally solve the Mideast conflict and has suggested his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, could be the one to broker a deal.</p><p>Netanyahu has said little about Trump's victory beyond congratulating him - possibly in an attempt to avoid antagonizing Obama while he is still in office. He's ordered his Cabinet not to comment on the election results and told his ministers not to speak to Trump's transition team.</p><p>For years, the U.S. has officially opposed any attempts by Palestinians to seek recognition for statehood or allow multi-country groups like the U.N. to impose solutions.</p><p>"Our view hasn't changed that we believe that the preferred path for the Palestinians to achieve statehood is through direct negotiations that will lead to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution," State Department spokesman John Kirby said earlier this week.</p><p>Yet early last year, Obama began flirting with the possibility that the U.S. could alter that stance by supporting a statehood bid at the U.N., reflecting his dismay about a perceived lack of seriousness by Netanyahu about making peace. Obama was incensed when Netanyahu, during his re-election in 2015, voiced opposition to Palestinian statehood, though the Israeli leader later walked back that statement.</p><p>Though Obama and his aides have generally avoided speaking publicly about options being considered, they have conspicuously avoided ruling anything out. Officials maintained that all options remain on the table, unlikely at this point as they may be.</p><p>Maintaining ambiguity about what Obama might do could preserve any leverage the president still has over Israel's government. Removing the threat of U.S. action, on the other hand, could embolden Israeli hard-liners and amplify calls for increased settlement construction and even the annexation of parts of the West Bank.</p><p>But House Foreign Relations Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said there's a problem with Obama's unpredictability.</p><p>"If you are heavily signaling that you're not going to oppose and veto U.N. Security Council resolutions that seek to impose one-sided solutions, the consequence is others will take your measure, and the momentum will build, given the natural attitudes at the U.N.," Royce said in an interview. Israel's supporters consider the U.N. to be strongly anti-Israel given its history of approving resolutions condemning Israel.</p><p>The House this week passed a non-binding bill sponsored by Royce and his Democratic counterpart urging Obama to continue blocking resolutions that attempt to impose preconditions on a peace deal. The bill passed with support from House GOP leadership and lawmakers of both parties.</p>492270630Thu, 01 Dec 2016 09:29:11 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesNewsreader AppThu, 01 Dec 2016 09:29:11 GMTTrump vows to 'remove' himself from business'Major news conference' set for Dec. 15http://www.ksat.com/news/politics/trump-vows-to-remove-himself-from-business_<p>Donald Trump promised Wednesday to 'remove' himself from his businesses and said he will announce details in two weeks about how he'll avoid conflicts of interest when he is president.</p><p>Trump used his favorite method of communicating with the public -- Twitter -- to announce plans for a "major news conference" on Dec. 15 to discuss plans to leave the Trump Organization.</p>
I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my ...</p>-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/803926488579973120">November 30, 2016</a>
<p>His adult children, whom he has said he will put in charge of the company, will be a part of the news conference.</p><p>Trump owns or has a position in more than 500 companies, according to a CNN analysis. That includes about 150 that have done business in at least 25 foreign countries, including Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.</p><p>There have been growing questions about the potential conflicts of interest posed by Trump's continued business interests and his role as president. A poll by CNN found that 6 in 10 Americans believe Trump is not doing enough to address conflicts of interest.</p><p>His tweets said he is not mandated to leave his business by law, but that "I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses."</p><p>Trump also said he is doing so "in order to fully focus on running the country in order to make America great again." Legal documents are being crafted which take him completely out of business operations, he claimed. "The Presidency is a far more important task!"</p><p>While details about his planned separation from the business are not yet known, many ethics government experts have questioned whether simply turning his businesses over to his children does enough avoid conflicts of interest.</p><p>Ethics lawyers say Trump should follow predecessors Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and use a blind trust.</p><p>A blind trust would mean that Trump would sell his assets and put the proceeds in the hands of a trustee with "no preexisting business relationship" with him, said Richard Painter, the chief White House ethics lawyer for former President George W. Bush. "It certainly can't be your own family members."</p><p>Painter said that Trump's family plan won't solve problems caused by a constitutional prohibition on federal office holders from accepting a "present, emolument, office or title" from a foreign country. "No matter what, they are going to have to unwind the business relationships with any foreign governments or company controlled by foreign governments," said Painter.</p><p>Democrats in Congress have also made clear that they will raise the issue of conflicts of interests, although being in the minority limits their ability to hold hearings. But all of the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee recently signed a letter demanding that its Republican chairman, Jason Chaffetz of Utah, start reviewing Trump's financial arrangements.</p><p>"Mr. Trump has exhibited a shocking level of disdain for legitimate bipartisan concerns about his conflicts of interest," the letter said.</p><p>There have also been calls for the media for Trump to liquidate his business interests, including from the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page. But Trump told reporters and editors from The New York Times last week that selling his business would be "a really hard thing to do," complicated by his real estate investments.</p><p>The fact that he will hold a news conference is significant in itself. He has gone longer than any other recent president-elect without holding a press conference.</p><p>Most did it within the first three days following their election.</p><p>While Trump has sat down for interviews with some journalists, including Leslie Stahl from 60 Minutes and the New York Times, he has not held a press conference since July 27, which was shortly after the Republican National Convention.</p><p>-- CNN's Jon Sarlin contributed to this report.</p>492122863Wed, 30 Nov 2016 17:02:17 GMTNewsNationalPoliticsTop StoriesWed, 30 Nov 2016 17:02:17 GMT